The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-06-30
The Standard GVnlonadia.


Encyclopedia Britannica for some
time and have accumulated nearly |
the whole set and I have been dis
in it because it failed to
meet my expectations and wants. l
was led to investigate to find where
in its defects consisted and | found
that it was a lack of diversity of
subjects and particularly its iuaccu-
racies and unfairness in dealing
with American matters. For In
stance, it can dispose of the Ale
ghany Mountains in six lines, and
it finds paragraph sufficient to
characterize Jefferson or Webster or
any Of our great statesmen, scient-
lists, authors, inventors, etc. In fact,
the Britannica, as its name indicates,
is compiled for Englishmen and not
Americans. The preface to the
first volume promises that the sub
jects shall be treated by men best
qualified, and yet we find "Ameri-
ca and American Literature"
each treated by q Scothman. OF
course it abounds in inaccuracies,
but worse still, misrepresentation
and sighting words. 1t is particu-
larly unfair towards the south and
the southern people. The article on
American Literature goes upon the
idea that all the wisdom Of the
world resides in Englishmen and
the Americans are imitators and
shallow at best. My attention was
called to these things and | here
state the facts with moderation. 1t
is scarcely necessary to advise
southern people what to do with
such q book. | have found also
that it failed to meet my wants and
I have been disappointed on many
occasions to fail to find information
which l sought. On close investi-
CATION l find that it devotes most Of
its space to lengthy treaties on a
few subjects and omits hundreds of
minor subjects. For instance, out Of
1914 pages, 243 subjects consume
1906 pages, thus leaving only q lit
tie over half for all other matters.
For these reasons | have ex-
changed my partial set Of the Bri-
tsnnica. for Appleton's, believing that
the latter is better adapted to my
wants, and knowing that it treats
matters from an American stand
point and more fairly and fully. l
append one quotation which of it.
self is sufficient to condemn it. 1t
says:
"Since the Revolution days, when
Virginia was the nurse of states
men, the few thinkers of An erica
born south of Mason d Dixon's
ine-outnumbered by those be-
longing to the single state of Mas
sachUsetts-have commonly mi
grated to New York or Boston in
search of university training. In
be world of letters at least, the
southern states had shone by re
lected light; nor is it too much to
lay that mainly by their connec.
ion with the north the Carolinas
have been saved from sinking to
the level of Mexico or the Antilles. y
This from a Scotchman! This in
| 4 book that seeks southern sub
scribers. LAPS. ID. MCCoRD.
| We call attention to the following
matter:
That the American Cyclopedla is
| The only complete reference work
aow published there can be nc
| loubt. 1t is issued in twenty
ight large octave volumes Of about
nine hundred pages each, making
about twenty-five thousand pages
md illustrated by seven thousand
ngravings, and is complete up tC
he beginning Of the year '66. Ev.
cry subject and question systemati
ally arranged and Indexed in such
/ manner that child can refer tC
any given subject or sub division
thereof as quickly as a dictionary
[ regard the American Cyclic
o@dia the best work of reference
low published, and would recon-
uend it to all teachers.
John NJ. WEBB,
Principal Bellbuckle School.
The American Cyclopedia cover
he whole field Of human knowl
7dge. have purchased the worl
when I did not feel that ] coul(
pare the means, simply because
id not feel that / could get alon;
without it. A. M. BUREEY,
President Howard Female College
Gauatin, Tenn.
: I do not see how I could ge
along without the "American Cy
clop3dIa." To teachers the term
IF payment are such that they ca,
:omply with the contract and no
miss the money.
II. B. WALLACE,
Teacher and superintendent, vii
hanson county.
The American Encyclopaedia save
a., me one thousand dollars, which
: would have been compelled to ex
. pend for other books had l not Pul
> chased this great work.
III. THOMAS EDGERToN,
President Female College, Frank
! lin, Tenn.
The following figures will shor
/ why the Encyclopaedia Britannica
4 must necessarily be deficient as
!. full and comprehensive work Of re
Q erence. Vol. No. l contains 80
5 pages, 497 Of which are devoted t
5 II subjects, leaving only All page
o to be devoted to all subjects an
questions from ca to "anatomy.
A careful examination will sho'
that the full q volumes embrac
1854 pages, 1905 Of which are de
voted to 243 subjects, being 1912
, pages only to be devoted to th
j whole of the rest Of the alphabet t
!. ''ras." In comparison with til
e American Cyclop@dia the Encyclo
/ padia Britannica" is deficient j
l. 3,134 subjects in the first three lie
/, ters Of the alphabet. AS q whol
- The American Cyclop@dia treats {
!. about 10000 more subjects than th